Background

The Green Party has as a key value: Grassroots Democracy. An identity caucus does not require that one “get permission” from their state party to become a caucus member. It is left to caucuses to seek out potential members because state and local parties do not routinely identify people who might be interested in the caucuses and refer them for membership.

Those who are not in the mainstream or who do not support that mainstream have had to obtain power through the only venue provided – identity caucuses. GPUS has an accredited Women’s Caucus, Black Caucus, Latinx Caucus, Lavender Caucus, and Young Greens Caucus, which are each accorded one vote, regardless of whether a caucus has 100 members or 1000. Calculating apportionment for an identity caucus is moot.

Therefore, we ask the National Committee to permanently apportion the delegates of all current identity caucuses, and to permanently change the apportionment rules for future caucuses.

Proposal

Change the two relevant Rules and Procedures sections, as follows:

DELETE, in entirety, Section 8-2.2(c), from the GPUS Rules and Procedures.

Currently:
8-2.2(c) Solicit accredited caucuses to verify that they still meet the Accreditation guidelines at the time of reapportionment; i.e. having 100 registered members per Article I Apportionment. A report of membership from the Co-Chairs of the caucus, forwarded to the Chair of the Apportionment Tabulation Committee and copied to the National Committee Votes List, shall be considered verification. Such information shall be included in the background to the proposal to the National Committee as described in 8-2.1(c).

EDIT Section VI.1.b to read:

1(b): When a caucus gains accreditation by GPUS, it is awarded one voting delegate and one alternate to the GPUS National Committee, and up to three voting members to each Standing Committee. This apportionment is permanent, and does not change in relation to membership strength. Additional individuals from a caucus, with the consent of the caucus, are welcomed to volunteer for GPUS working committees as permitted by committee rules.

1(c): An accredited caucus may be disaffiliated by the National Committee only for just cause, such as egregious action not in general accordance with the Ten Key Values. A caucus may be disaffiliated if there is no participation in NC voting by its delegate or alternate for one year. Disaffiliation actions may be appealed to the NC. Caucuses that are disaffiliated may later be reaccredited.

Resources

Immediate implementation of this rule change. Webmaster is instructed to update the content immediately upon passage.

References

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